Never allowed to take leave on a Friday

[Rorous]

There are 4 people in my team and one of whom doesn’t work Fridays. For this reason I am never allowed to take a Friday as annual leave and I find it absurd. Even when I request a week off I am being asked to work on a Friday! I’m wondering whether I am being unreasonable and should just simmer down, or kick up a fuss with my line manager… advice please?

Just to add, there are no meetings/pieces of work planned for these days. I’m just there “in case something happens” and I have never been called upon for anything urgent in my 3 years of working here.

OP, in your shoes, I'd make a note of that meeting and send it to myself at home.

“She also commented on how other members of my team have had whole weeks off, evidence that for whatever reason I’m being treated differently!”

This is significant.

Well done for getting HR to helps you OP

just adding here that most peoples on my team have a non working day in the week we mostly work condensed hours. When it comes to leave we are allowed 2 teams members off at a time. The NWDs are NOT included in this! So e.g. if you have 2 peoples NWD on a Friday you would still be allowed 2 peoples to book leave that day

The thing is, there is nothing in law that says employers have to treat everyone fairly all the time. If she was not allowed Fridays off because she was the only woman or because of a disability or other protected characteristic, then yes, that would be unfair discrimination and you could take a case to tribunal for it. But just being unfair isn't always actionable in employment law.

In this case I think HR has responded correctly, because frankly from the employers perspective, if you are going to be unfair to an employee without a really really good reason, and appropriate compensation, then you run the risk of employees just leaving, as is their right. But had they come back and said, 'sorry, business need, no annual leave on Fridays', then the employer wouldn't automatically be breaking any employment laws. They might be in breach of contract though, and the OP would probably be wise to seek further advice.

Just book it and if it gets knocked back tell them you are going anyway. If they are that short staffed they aren't going to sack you - call their bluff.

Raise with HR... It should be easily solved. YANBU

"The thing is, there is nothing in law that says employers have to treat everyone fairly all the time."

Yes there is.

It’s good to see HR standing up for you, OP. That can be rarer than it ought to be.

Enjoy taking Fridays off in future!

It's absurd

Leave immediately

So what happens if you take a week or 10 or 14 days holiday abroad got instance ??

Yes, certainly banking and finance. Might be other industries as well.

This is totally insane. 😆

The trick is if you are a fraudster would be to stop doing that fraud when someone is on holiday.

That is surely against the law

Glad your meeting went well. Here’s hoping things change.

Well done op. If you wanted to have 2 week off, which of course you’re entitled to do, what would they have done?

Do you have a union? Last resort but I can’t believe this is enforceable.

It is to catch out the fraudster when THEY are on holiday

I know. But if the fraudster is clever, they would time their frauds appropriately.

To spread suspicion.

That’s unreasonable! if you book a two week holiday then what? No! You need to take it higher or look for another job! Do others go on holiday?

I am sure the banking and finance industries have already thought of that and have the necessary precautions in place. It is very strictly regulated.

Glad HR are seeing sense and supportive.

The point about whole weeks off and how it is recommended as fraud could be uncovered was mentioned to me years ago.

I once worked part time 5 hrs a day ( 5 days a week) making sandwiches etc in a petrol station.... In the five years I worked there I only got one week off, and I too was expected to go into work on a wednesday to cover as they couldn't get cover that day! Ruined my holiday ( and I never got paid extra for working on a holiday day)

I feel your pain

What does it say in your contract about working hours. Why can't the other two cover if you need time off on a Friday? If you need to take a Friday off just put in an annual leave request & let them explain why you can't take it then challenge it if they say you 'might' be needed. If they aren't able to say you'll definitely be needed then they can't force you to work & not be allowed to take holiday leave.